Big Leaguers Notebook: April 28

Chipper moves into second for most RBIs by switch-hitter

 Larry Wayne Jones Sr. grew up with so much admiration for famed switch-hitting slugger Mickey Mantle that he taught his young son, Chipper, to switch-hit, just like the Mick. Now, decades later, Chipper Jones has collected the 1,512th RBI of his 18-year Major League career to surpass Mantle for second place on the career RBI list among switch-hitters, trailing only Eddie Murray's mark of 1,917. "I grew up in the shadow of Mickey Mantle my whole youth, and I could sense that my dad and my mom were welling up last night when I tied him," said Jones. "When you grew up hearing about Mickey the way I did and with the reverence that I heard from my father, passing him in career RBIs is quite a feat." (MLB.com)

 Seattle Mariners first baseman Justin Smoak wrapped up an emotional week, after missing six games to be with his family after his father, Larry, passed away from lung cancer. Smoak returned to the field by hitting home runs in back-to-back games. (MLB.com) Catcher Miguel Olivo greeted his teammate as he as he crossed the plate, telling him, "That's for Papa." Said Smoak, "I try not to think about it, but things happen for a reason." (MLB.com)

 Matt Holliday continues his tear at the plate, collecting a home run, five hits and nine total bases over his last two games against the Astros. The St. Louis slugger has stormed back from his April 1 appendectomy to lead the Major Leagues with a .429 batting average. (MLB.com)

 In other outstanding performances, Seattle pitcher Erik Bedard picked up his first victory in nearly two years (MLB.com), and Daniel Murphy was the hero in Queens, hitting an eighth-inning home run to tie the game before securing the Mets' sixth straight win with a two-run double in the ninth. (MLB.com)

 Joel Hanrahan of the Pirates joined high school students from the Pittsburgh-area Action Teams® to clean up trash, plant flowers and beautify Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Heritage Trail. The Indians' Joe Smith and Michael Brantley also teamed up with Action Team® captains to make beds for homeless veterans at the Veterans Domiciliary at Wade Park in Cleveland. (Action Team)

 Astros outfielder and 2011 Play Green Ambassador Hunter Pence joined Habitat for Humanity to build an eco-friendly home (MLBlogs.com) in Houston as part of the Astros' Play Green Week. (Houston Astros)

 Jeremy Guthrie took the first step in his "musical intervention," showing his "Bielieber" support at Camden Yards by warming up to Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never" (Jeremy Guthrie). Bieber returned the support to Guthrie, tweeting: "its ok @JGuthrie46... we are in this together. #intervention."

 Quote of the Day: "I find myself drifting into one of those typical fans you hear up in the stands. I sound like one of those idiots that yell at me half the time. I have to keep it under control. It's kind of fun to think of it that way from a fan's aspect. It makes me think that I understand why people do some of the stuff they do now." -- Nick Blackburn, Twins pitcher and self-proclaimed Oklahoma City Thunder "super fan." (ESPN.com)

 Today's Tweet: @LoMoMarlins: "Uncle Wes (Helms) has a birthday coming up. I made him a cake. Fingers crossed he likes it..." (Twitter)

This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.